Apparatus for obtaining synchronism between picture and music in cinematographic performances



EEEEEEEE EN NNNNNNNNNNNNN SM Patented Sept. 11', 1 928.`

-U'NITED- STATES im'rwlzla'r4 oFF-icE.

ADOLF IBEENEKEN, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

APPARATUS I'OB OBTAIN'ING SYITC HRONISM- BETWEEN PIGTUBE OINEIMTOGBAPEIO PEBFOBMANGES.

AND MUSIC IN Application med June a, 1924, serial m). 717,637, ana in Germany Iarh 8,1983: I I

My invention relatesV to improvements in apparatus for obtaining synchronism between picture and music in cinematographic performances.

l5 It is known to combine cinematographic -or animated picture performances in such a manner with music performances, that the picture film and a tape on which the notes' are printed run .ofi synchronously and the music a propriate to the picture shown is played rom the tape of musicl by a person or a hand. The music-tape hereby passes a mark (finger). The cinematographic projectin apparatus and the driving apparatus or the music-tape are so coupled together that they run in synchronism;

According to mv invention the conductor .of the band is abie to choose the tempo in v'which a movement is to be performed according to -his artistic perception without thereby disturbi-ngthe synchronism of the music with the film even for an' instant. With this end in view a mark, finger or pointer is made adjustable and at the same time so connected with the drive of the projecting apparatus and the music-tape that the ad'ustment of the mark simultaneously .controis the s eed at which the projecting apparatus is' riven and also the speed of the synchronously running music-tape' The said mark, for instance a finger, is movable in the direction in which the music is read andcontrols a series resistance in the circuit of the motor of the projecting apparatus in such a; manner, that when it is moved in. one or the other direction more or less current is fed to the driving motor of the projeoting. apparatus. If, for'instance the vcondu'ctor .of a hand or the player of a pianola or-other mechanical musical instrument takes a movement at a quicker pace than the projecting apparatus running at the same instant at acertain speed requires the person who attends to the improved device and who may preferably be seated amongst the audience notices that the note just sounded is not heard at the moment when it passes the finger or indicator.v The attendant must then move the fingerin such adapted to be moved by a pinion gearl'ng a manner, that more or less resistance is connected with the circuit of the driving motor 1 and thus the projection of pictures -is retarded or accelerated, so that Ialways. that note of the running music-tape. which the conductor causes to be sounded'moves .past the finger at the momentwhen issounded.

By movlng the finger into `one-of its end positions the projector is cutoutvorstopped. In order to be. able, however, to'eut .out or stop' the projecting apparatus' orV to start lt again at any time lnstantly,I an-electric circuit breaker, for instance, is connected with the finger, which switches -the driving motor of the projector or the projectoritself out and in. i 65 The music-tape contains besides the notes. accurate picture indications in such a manner that salient -moments of the film-are indicated at accurately correspondin laces in the music-ta e, bymeans-of .w ic the' readjustment o the finger may be eifected if the synchcronism should have been-lost, even during the'progress of picture performances.

For this purpose the mark or finger must be adjustable independent of the throttling device, so -that in this case it can have no effect upon the speed of the rojector. This may, for instance, be attainez by making the finger and .the throttling -device relatively movable. For the latter purpose `the finger may, forinstance,l be fixed' upon a travelling rail/ provided with a rack and with said rack. o

As the partof the' improved apparatus which' contains the music-tape ispreferably situated in the auditorium, as already mentioned, in order to enable the attendant to have a better control over the picture performance and at the same time over the musicthe tra-velling music-tape will preferably be carried out as a negative, so that transpa'rent notes appear on a ldark background. The music-tape' is hereby litA up from inside, so that no disturbing light' falls into the room containing the audience.

In the drawing aflixed to this specification and forming bpart thereofone embodiment of L my invention is shown by way of example.

In the drawing f Fig, 1 is a front elevation of the improved apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same,

Fig. 3 is a detail on a larger scalne,

Fig. 4 is a plan of a Inodified pointer, and

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a device for adjusting the finger or pointer.

Similar parts are indicated by the same letters of reference throughout all the figures of the drawing.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 a is the musictape or ribbon which is unwound from the drum b and coiled up on the drum c. The' tape is provided with indications z pointing out prominent moments of thev film, such as title, scene and so on and with graduations such as o, 10, 20 and so on. Above the tape is situated the finger or pointer o? fixed upon a bushing or sleeve f adapted to be moved along a stationary metallic guide-rod e. A tail piece g of the sleeve f rides with a fork k upon a' resistance which may be wound in a special manner.

- With one of the supports k of he guide-rod e and with the opposite end of the resistance`k are connected the ends of an electric' circuit which directly of indirectly controls the driving motor y for the pro'ecting -apparatus In the sleeve f is provi ed an electric circuit breaker or out-out switch n. The electric current passes from the support k through the guide-rod e to the sleeve f and through the circuit breaker n to the tail piece and from there through the fork Iir, 1nto t e resistance i which it leaves' at the terminal m. The circuit-can be interrupted by Opening theswitch n.

In order to enable' certain adjustments of the fingerd to be made without afi'ecting at the same time the motor owing to changes in the series resistancev the latter is mounted upon a slide o adapted to be moved along a dovetailed guide p or the like in the baseplate g together with the finger d.

Another construction for moving the finger d above the music-tape without simultaneously afi'ecting the circuit of the projecting apparatus is shown on an enlarged scale in the Figs. 4 and 5. In this case a lbar s is slidably secured in a guidapor'tion r of the sleeve f and upon said bar is mounted the finger d. The bar is provided with a rack t with which engages a pinion u, shown. in dotted lines in Fig. 5, fixed upon the spindle w, also shown in dotted lines, of a knob w. By turning the knob a: by hand. the finger d may be moved to the right or left, as desired.

.It will be understood that the details of vthe construction maybe modified in many ways within the ambit of my claims without bdepa'rting from the spirit of myinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages'.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by LettersV Patent is mated picture performances, the combination of a music tape travelling insynchronisln with a picture film and having musical notation running longitudinally of the tape, an indicator finger -mounted in proximity to the notes on said tape and for adjustment in the reading direction of said notes, a driving' motor for said picture film, and means for controlling the speed of said motor controlled by the adjustment of said gfinger.

2. In apparatus for obtaining synchronism between the pictures and music in animated picture performances, the combination of a music tape travelling in synchronism with a picture film and having musical notation running longitudinally of the tape, an indicator finger mounted in proximity to the notes on said tape and for adjustment in the reading direction of said notes, a driving motor for said picture film, a series resist- `ance in the circuit of said motor, and Vmeans on said finger for cutting in or out said resistanceI upon adjustment of the finger to thereby control the speed of said motor.

3. In apparatus for obtaining synchronism between the pictures and music in animated picture performances, the combination of a music tapetravelling in synchronism with a picture .film and having musical notation runnin longitudinally of the tape, an indicator nger mounted in proximity to the notes on said tape and for adjustment in the reading direction of said, notes, and means for controlling the speed of movement of the picture film controlled by the adjustment of said finger, the synchronism being brought about by the attendant adjusting the finger upon the note which is being sounded at the moment.

4:. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in combination with means for adjusting said finger along said music tape without reading ldirection of. saidnotes, a drivingy motor for said picture film, aseries resistance in the circuit of said motor, and means 'on said finger for cutting in or out said resistance upon adjustment of the finger to ias thereby control the speed of said motor, said finger and said resistance being also adjustable as a unit along said music tape.

Lessmss 6. In apparatus for obtaining synchronism between the pictures and the music in animated picture performances, the combination of a music tape travelling in synchronism with a picture film, said tape having musical notation running longitudinally thereof and also marks indicating prominent moments of the film, an indicator finger mounted in proximity to said tape and for adjustment in the reading direction of said lb of synchronism of picture and music when 15 the synchronism has been lost.

In testimony Whereof I aflix my Signature.

v ADOLF BEENEKEN. 

